Quick Overview

Judged on the musicality and style of the performance, Kurt Masur's live 1981 reading of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 is comparable with many mainstream interpretations of its time, and may be regarded as a reasonable choice among the affordable CDs put out by Berlin Classics. Masur and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra are certainly at home in this symphony, and the interpretation and the execution are well-matched. For historical value, this recording is significant for marking the opening of the new Gewandhaus hall, which Masur was instrumental in planning since he began his tenure in 1970.